Kitabı oxu: «His Suitable Amish Wife»

Chapter One

Elizabeth Stoltzfus stared at the small residence surrounded by a yard filled with junk—wood scraps, rusted cars and other debris she couldn’t identify. She’d been cleaning houses for years now, but she’d never seen a place like this. The family who’d recently moved to their church district lived here? This was the place the bishop wanted her to clean?

She frowned. The house wasn’t large enough for a typical Amish family, and it certainly wasn’t big enough to warrant a cleaning lady. But she’d do it because Bishop John had asked her, although she was afraid of what she might find inside.

She steered her buggy to the end of the driveway, where she secured her horse to the hitching post, which looked brand-new. Ellie reached into the back of her vehicle for her cleaning supplies, including her broom. When she cleaned houses for the English, she used her clients’ vacuum cleaners. Her corn broom or a damp mop was the best way to clean Amish floors, most of which were made of wood or linoleum.

She approached the side door with her plastic supply tote in one hand and broom in the other. She leaned the broom handle against the building and rapped hard on the door. A child’s high-pitched cry rent the silence before the door opened. A young woman with a baby on her hip studied her, then saw the supplies and smiled with relief.

“Sarah Miller?” Ellie realized the woman was actually a teenage girl.

“Ja, I’m Sarah. Come in,” she said as she moved aside to allow Ellie entry. “You’re here to clean for us, ja? Thanks be to Gott. The house needs it badly.”

With a smile, Ellie quietly took in her appearance. Sarah wore no head covering, and tendrils of hair were pulled out as if she or her baby had tugged on the blond locks. Her light blue tab dress was stained with what looked like baby food and who knew what else. She had dark circles of exhaustion under her eyes.

“The bishop sent you.”

Ellie nodded. “You’re the one who spoke with him, then? He’s a gut man.” She meandered around the room, taking stock of what needed to be done, which looked to be a great deal. “Is there any particular place you want me to start?”

She hid her horror at the condition of the kitchen as she tied on her apron. The floors were stained and warped, and the walls needed several coats of white paint. The countertops didn’t look much better. She wondered why this young family had moved here and about the state of their finances.

“You can start here, in the kitchen,” the girl said, gesturing about the room. The baby cried louder, and Sarah tried to soothe him.

Ellie felt bad for the young mother, who looked ready to keel over. The girl clearly needed her rest. She’d offer to hold the little boy, but she had a job to do and the work had to be completed first. She grabbed her broom and started on the floor, which was covered with dust and dirt. With even sweeps of the corn broom bristles across warped wood, she swept the filth into a pile, then onto a metal dustpan, which she dumped outside.

The floor done, she began to wipe down the countertop with a wet, soapy sponge. After checking inside the cabinets, she removed the meager contents and ran a damp sponge over the shelves. Sarah had left the room. She could hear the baby crying from upstairs. Trying to ignore the sound, Ellie did what she could to clean the kitchen. The stove looked new and required little but a damp cloth. She spent a good amount of time on the small gas-powered refrigerator at the end of the counter, removing the food that was inside—a carton of eggs, milk, a pack of sausage and a few other items—and scrubbing it inside and out. It was a heavy task, for it looked as if the appliance hadn’t been used in a long time and the last person who’d owned it hadn’t taken the time to clean it thoroughly. Satisfied with the results, she went into a back room where she found a gas-powered freezer along with washer and dryer. She checked over each appliance, pleased to find them in better condition.

The baby continued to wail as Sarah descended the stairs, the sound growing louder as she approached. Ellie came out of the back room.

“I’m sorry,” the girl apologized. “I can’t get him to stop.”

“May I hold him?” Ellie asked gently, softening her gaze.

“Ja, danki.” Sarah handed her the child.

The baby instantly quieted in her arms. “What’s your soohn’s name?”

The girl shook her head. “He’s not my son. He’s my nephew. I’ve been watching him for my bruder while he works.” She eyed the baby helplessly. “Ethan,” she murmured sadly. “His name is Ethan.”

“I see.” Gazing into the baby’s bright blue eyes, Ellie smiled. “Do you have a clean diaper?”

“Ja, but I don’t think it will help. I just changed him.”

“Has he eaten?”

Sarah glanced at her wristwatch. “’Tis not time.”

“Babies know when they are hungry. Do you have milk for him?” The girl nodded. “Will you make up a bottle?” Sarah proceeded to fix it. “Where’s his mother? She busy, too?” Ellie asked, curious.

“She’s dead. She died right after she gave Ethan life.”

“I’m sorry,” Ellie said with genuine sympathy, although she believed that the woman was in a better place. God would have taken her into His house and made her happy that she’d sacrificed her life for her son’s.

Sarah approached with the bottle and reached for the boy.

“May I feed him?” Ellie watched her closely. “Why don’t you wash up,” she suggested softly after Sarah nodded. “Do you have fresh garments?”

“Ja.”

“Go, then, and take a few moments for yourself. You deserve it. I’ll watch Ethan for a while until you feel better.”

“Danki,” Sarah murmured shyly before she headed upstairs.

Ellie heard the slam of a door. “Sarah?” a man’s voice boomed. “How’s Ethan?”

He entered the room and froze when he saw her. She released a startled breath as she recognized him. The baby’s father was Reuben Miller, her sister Meg’s former sweetheart, the one who’d lost control of his buggy one rainy night and sent Meg into the cold, dark depths of a creek.

“Ellie?” he said unhappily. “Ellie Stoltzfus?”

“Reuben,” she greeted, acknowledging that she knew him.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m cleaning house.”

He scowled. “Why?”

She raised her chin. “Because the place needs it, and—”

“And?” he prompted.

She stared at him. He was sweaty and disheveled but still an attractive man. He had removed his straw hat and his blond hair was matted. Golden hair a shade darker than the hair on his head ran along his jaw, the beard proclaiming him as having married. But it was his eyes that drew her attention the most. They were a beautiful shade of blue, like the light blue of a bright sunny summer sky. His features were strong and symmetrical. She suffered a fluttering like butterflies in her belly. Reuben Miller was an extremely handsome man.

“Ellie?”

“Bishop John told me to come.”

“I didn’t ask for someone to clean for me.”

He clearly didn’t want her here. She saw his face change as he realized that she was holding his child. Reuben approached and extended his arms.

Clutching the baby closer, she resisted his unspoken request and stepped back. “I won’t hurt him.”

He sighed. “I know you won’t.” The man closed his eyes, looking tired beyond measure, and Ellie felt a deep welling of sympathy for him.

With a soft murmur for Ethan, she gave Reuben his son, then turned for her cleaning supplies with the intent to continue on to the next room. To her surprise and relief, the baby snuggled against his father’s chest without a whimper.

“Ellie?” Reuben said when she headed toward the gathering room beyond the kitchen.

“Ja?” She faced him.

“I don’t need you here.”

She flushed with anger. “I’m not here for you, Reuben. I’m here for Sarah and Ethan.” After a brief pause, she added, “If you have a problem with me, talk with the bishop.” Ignoring him, she began sweeping the floors in the other room, hoping he would stay away and not give her grief.

The ensuing silence in the house unsettled her. Reuben hadn’t followed to harass her, and his absence after their mild altercation worried her. She returned to the kitchen for a peek, and what she saw made her heart pause before it started to pump harder. Reuben leaned against the counter cradling his son as he fed the baby his bottle. She experienced an odd sensation in her chest as she watched man and child together. Suddenly, Reuben looked up as if sensing her presence. They locked gazes, and she lurched back a few steps, eager to escape the odd intimacy of witnessing a tender moment between a father and his son.

“Ellie!” Sarah bounced down the stairs and stopped abruptly when she saw her brother. “Reuben, you’re home! How was work? Did your crew get the job done? Will you have time to work on the haus tomorrow?”

Expecting him to scold his sister, Ellie was shocked to see his face soften with indulgence as he smiled at Sarah. Reuben chuckled, and the sound rippled along her back from her nape to her lower spine. “In answer to your questions—ja, I’m home. Gut, work was gut. Ja, we got the job done. And as to your last question, most definitely ja.” He’d held up a finger with each yes, the last of which caused Sarah to squeal with pleasure.

“You’ve met Ellie,” Sarah said with a smile.

“We’re acquainted,” Ellie confessed, meeting the girl’s light blue eyes. She transferred her attention to Sarah’s brother. “I didn’t know you’d married. It must have been soon after...” She bit her lip, her voice trailing off before she could mention his breakup with Meg.

“I met Susanna not long after,” he began. “We married six months later.” He studied his son. “We were happy until...”

“’Tis oll recht, Reuben,” his sister said softly. “I know how hard this is for you, but I’m here to help for as long as I’m able.”

His smile for Sarah was soft and filled with affection. “I know you wish to be with our family in Ohio. I appreciate that you’re here for now. I’ll find someone to take care of Ethan so you can go home.”

“I don’t mind being here, bruder.”

“I know you don’t.” Sorrow settled on the man’s features, touching something deep inside Ellie. “But you’re too young for this worry.”

Overwhelmed by conflicting emotions, Ellie turned away. “I’ll finish the gathering room and return tomorrow to do the bedrooms and baths.”

“Ellie—”

“Don’t say you don’t need me to clean for you, Reuben, because from the look of this place, you most certainly do.”

She caught a quick glimpse of anguish on his features as he turned away. Her gaze once again moved about the room. Was he concerned with money? She didn’t know what to say to make him feel better that wouldn’t offend him. She had no intention of being paid for the work. Reuben and his family needed her, and she was always happy to help someone in need. If she told him that, however, she knew he’d glare and order her to leave. Now that she understood the situation, leaving was the last thing she wanted to do.

She returned to the gathering room to dust the furniture. After a brief visit to the kitchen sink to fill up her bucket, she worked to scrub the walls. As the grime fell away, leaving the room brighter, Ellie smiled. It always felt good when she could see the fruits of her labor, and the new look of the room was a vast improvement.

“Ellie.” Reuben’s quiet voice startled her. She gasped and spun to face him. She looked behind him, but there was no sign of Sarah.

“Is something wrong?” she asked. Ellie saw that he’d noted the bright cleanliness of the room. “Do you need something?”

His lips firmed. “I don’t think you should come back tomorrow.”

She lifted her chin. “Then don’t think, because I will return, Reuben. You have a baby to consider. He should have a clean place to crawl.” She narrowed her gaze as she took his measure. “Is it because it’s me? You’re angry because I’m Meg’s sister?”

He looked shocked. “Nay! The fact that you and Meg are related has nothing to do with this.”

She went soft. “This isn’t paid work for me. I’m here as a favor to Bishop John.”

“I can pay,” he said sharply.

“Reuben—” She started to object, but he’d left the room.

Ellie closed her eyes as she sighed. The man needed help, but clearly accepting it didn’t sit well with him. She thought of young, tired Sarah and felt rising sympathy for the teen. She firmed her resolve. She’d be back whether or not Reuben Miller liked it. She’d do all she could to help Sarah and the baby. Short of his throwing her bodily out, she’d return tomorrow and the next day for as long as she could help in any way.

A glance at her wristwatch confirmed that it was late afternoon. She’d started the work at one, after having finished housecleaning for the Smith family, English clients. Tomorrow she’d come after she worked at the Broderick house. She made a mental list of what this house—Reuben—needed as she searched through every room on the first floor. She gathered her cleaning tools, then left after calling out to Sarah that she was leaving.

Ellie was conscious of Reuben’s stare on her through the kitchen window as she climbed into her buggy and left.

* * *

Reuben held his sleeping son close as he watched Ellie Stoltzfus leave. He’d never expected her to come here, and it bothered him that she had. The house was a disaster, and he was ashamed with how little he’d been able to get done.

He’d known the house and land needed work. His uncle had purchased the property from a poverty-stricken English family who’d needed the money desperately. It had always been Uncle Zeke’s intention to clear the land and fix up the house for him and Aunt Mary to live out their remaining years, but then Aunt Mary had passed on, and he’d gone into his own decline. When Zeke died, the house went to his only remaining relative, his brother, who was Reuben’s father, who gave it to Reuben after his wife Susanna’s death.

When he’d first married Susanna, he’d made plans to build a house for them on a section of his father’s farm. They had lived with his parents for the first months while Reuben had saved nearly every dollar he’d earned from his construction job. They’d been excited when he learned Susanna was pregnant. They decided to remain in his parents’ house during Susanna’s pregnancy and wait until after the baby was born to start construction on their home. But then everything in his life had changed after his wife died within minutes of delivering Ethan. He’d gained himself a son but had lost his life partner, and he’d been devastated. He’d barely been able to think. It had hurt too much to feel, to breathe, yet he was responsible for the tiny newborn he and Susanna had made together.

Susanna’s medical bills and funeral had taken all of his savings, and he was left with no choice but to stay with his parents until he could finish paying off his late wife’s hospital bill while trying to save whatever money he could to have a place of his own. During those awful first grief-filled months, his mother and sister had stepped in to care for Ethan while he took every opportunity to bury his grief with work. Then Mam and Dat had decided to move to Ohio to be closer to Mam’s parents. Dat had suggested that he and Ethan move with them, but Reuben hadn’t been able to bear the thought of another change in his life. When his father gave him Uncle Zeke’s property, it had been like an answer to Reuben’s prayers. After his parents had sold their property, Reuben had moved into Uncle Zeke’s place. It was a disaster, but he could fix it up and make it a home. His sister Sarah had offered to stay and help with Ethan until Reuben could make other arrangements for his son’s care while he was at work.

Life was tough. He worked hard to feed and clothe Ethan, and although he’d finally paid the balance owed to the hospital, there never seemed to be enough money or time to fix up the house and clear the garbage from the yard. He briefly closed his eyes. So much to worry about.

Reuben knew the best solution would be for him to marry again, something he didn’t want to do. Still, he had to think of his son first, so he would find a wife, if only for Ethan to have a mother. He would need to find a woman who would watch and protect his son and be content to simply be a quiet, calming companion for him. He wouldn’t promise love, although he would honor her. He didn’t want to marry for love. Love hurt too much.

He would be practical in his choice of bride. He’d already lost a wife. While Susanna and he had started their relationship as friends, deep affection and love for each other had come with time. When she died, a part of him had died with her. He never again wanted to feel that depth of pain.

“Reuben, are you hungry?” Sarah entered the room with a smile. “I can make us eggs, toast and sausage.”

“That sounds gut, Sarah.” He smiled his thanks while he noted something different about her. She looked rested, pretty. She’d redone her hair, and the dress she wore looked freshly laundered. It was only at that moment that he realized how hard it must be for her to care for his young son. His sister was only fifteen, and she received no help or relief from Ethan’s care, except for when Ethan was napping. It wasn’t fair for Sarah to be saddled with a child. He would have to start looking for a wife, and soon.

Reuben shifted his son in his arms and softened as he studied Ethan’s perfect, smooth baby facial features. His son lay content against him. It had taken him a while to bond with Ethan. His grief had been too stark, at first, that it had been painful to look at his son, who reminded him of Susanna. But his parents’ decision to move had spurred him to change and take full responsibility and care of his child. He’d held his baby frequently, staying up with him at nights when he cried. He’d bathed, fed, and changed his diaper. His time spent with Ethan had created a deep parental bond. He’d discovered a love for his son that was overpowering and joyful. Every time he saw the way his baby lay trustingly within his arms, his love overflowed, overtaking his grief and cementing an even stronger link. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for his child—and that included taking another wife so Ethan could have a mother.

After supper, he left Ethan in Sarah’s care and built a cradle large enough for a toddler to use on the first floor for when he and Ethan were downstairs together. Tomorrow, he would work to replace old and damaged shingles on the roof of his house. The job shouldn’t take long. The area of roof was small, but the house had two floors, with the bedrooms and bathroom upstairs and a second smaller bath downstairs. Plenty of room for three or four, even possibly five people. Although there will be only three of us living here. He had no intention of having more children. He’d learned the hard way that the health risk to a woman was too great.

The next morning, he got up and checked on Ethan, who continued to sleep. He began to assemble what he’d need to fix the roof. He briefly considered bringing Ethan outside while he worked, but was afraid that his son would get hurt as he stripped off shingles and tossed them to the ground. Ethan would have to remain inside with Sarah. Today, he’d get a lot done with the building supplies that he’d already purchased and stored in the small barn. Money was tight, but he would get paid by the construction company in the next couple of days.

Reuben felt a measure of peace at his plans for the day, until he remembered that Ellie Stoltzfus had said she’d be back. His good humor and sense of well-being abruptly left him.

He sighed as he recalled the first time he saw her years ago...sweet, lovely, with golden blond hair and bright blue eyes. He’d been attracted to her.

He forced the memory away. He had to stick to his plan and find a wife who would accept that they would be companions but nothing more. The last thing he needed was for Ellie to interfere with his life. He had enough to worry about without the attraction he still felt complicating things.